Evonik launches pilot production of biobased lauric acid in Slovakia

2:28 PM MDT | July 30, 2013 | Francinia Protti-Alvarez

Evonik Industries has begun operating a pilot plant for ω-amino lauric acid (ALS) at Slovenska Lupca, Slovakia, the company announced today. The biobased ALS is an alternative to petroleum-based laurin lactam (LL). ALS potentially replaces LL as a monomer in the manufacture of sustainable high-performance plastics and yields an identical compound nylon-12, Evonik says. Palm oil, which Evonik is already using as a base for various other chemical products, is the starting material. The entirely new process has the potential to complement...